The Present
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War crimes are obvious, but proving them isn’t easy
A forensics expert explains what’s involved with documenting human rights violations during conflicts, from Afghanistan to Ukraine.
Why regulating “bad speech” online is one of society’s biggest conundrums
It is through speaking and listening that human beings become who they are.
The world is awful. The world is much better. The world can be much better.
It is wrong to think that these three statements contradict each other. We need to see that they are all true to see that a better world is possible.
Russians reportedly building a satellite-blinding laser. How would it work?
As technology advances, the use of laser weapons in space becomes more likely.
Five key findings from the 2022 UN Population Prospects
Explore the key highlights from the UN’s latest release of its world population estimates.
You can now buy a flying car for $92,000
More than 150 companies are developing flying cars. Here's why they're aren't yet off the ground and darting across city skies.
This luxury solar electric car could go 7 months without recharging
Deliveries of the $250k Lightyear 0 will start in November 2022.
Engineers create world’s first carbon-neutral cement out of algae
Cement production currently accounts for 8% of global carbon emissions.
When does the fetus become a “person”? The philosophy of gradualism provides a moral guide
Gradualism rejects the idea of a "bright line" in the abortion debate/
“Passive cooling” could reduce indoor air temperature by up to 25° F in a heat wave
Really simple interventions can greatly reduce indoor temperatures during the summer, particularly in places like the Pacific Northwest.
Americans born rich are more sympathetic toward the poor than those who became rich
One might think that people who started poor and became rich might be more sensitive to the plights of the poor. Not so, suggests a new study.
Strong passwords: The mathematical power of 3 random words
Sick of remembering a random string of letters, numbers, and special characters?
Seattle hiked its minimum wage. Here’s what happened to jobs and workers
Seattle slowly raised its minimum wage to $15 per hour. The results provide fuel for both sides of the minimum wage debate.
“Do not bid!”: The fight to stop homeownership collapse in Detroit
Can Detroit get its comeback right?
The 4 risk factors behind someone becoming a mass shooter
Can we stop mass shootings? The first step is collecting data, and these authors have done just that.
Digital nomad: why work from home if you can work from anywhere in the world?
Digital nomads can fully immerse themselves in their surroundings while advancing their career and stimulating the local economy. But there is one potential downside.
How many bots are on Twitter? The question is difficult to answer and misses the point
Yes, there are reasons to worry about Twitter, but it's not about the bots.
This is why the US dollar is a potent sanctions weapon — for now
A clear alternative has yet to emerge.
Virginia launches world’s biggest 3D-printed housing project
One home was printed in 28 hours. Now, Alquist 3D is building 200 more.
The biggest myths about electric vehicles
We're separating the facts about EVs from the fiction.
Cryptocurrency and the “greater fool” theory of economics
An analogy explains the greater fool theory: You don’t have to run faster than the bear to get away; you just have to run faster than the other guy.
Back to the source: What we gain when we cut out the middleman
Our economy is dominated by middlemen, including huge companies such as Walmart and Amazon. There are many benefits to going direct instead.
The “sonnenrad” used in shooters’ manifestos: a spiritual symbol of hate
The sonnenrad is a Heathen symbol composed of 12 repeated runes.
After millennia of agricultural expansion, the world has passed “peak agricultural land”
This marks a historic moment in humanity’s relationship to the planet.
The term “white privilege” backfires spectacularly and makes social change less likely
Polarization or misunderstanding?
China’s population is about to shrink for the first time in 60 years
The last time the population shrank was during the great famine of 1959-61.
These are the 10 fastest sinking cities in the world
At least 33 cities are sinking by more than 1 cm a year.
What is “personhood”? The ethics question that needs a closer look in abortion debates
Suppose that fetuses are persons. Since pregnant people are too, how should conflicts between them be settled?
A shrinking fraction of the world’s major crops goes to feed the hungry
Only 1% of corn grown is the U.S. is the type that people eat.
Rooftop gardens can help alleviate heat in cities, study finds
An effect called the "urban heat island" means that temperatures are often 10 degrees higher in cities, according to NASA.